Emily Foster

Emily Foster is a Level 6 Architectural Assistant Apprentice at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the employee-owned London practice.

Emily came into architecture through the Accelerate programme, a widening-participation initiative run with UCL and architecture practices that introduces students from underrepresented backgrounds to the profession. Through it she connected with AHMM and went on to join the practice's Level 6 Architectural Apprenticeship, one of the RIBA Trailblazer apprenticeship routes.

The apprenticeship lets her split her time between university study and paid work in practice, applying what she learns directly to live projects that range from masterplans to residential schemes, supported by a rotating group of mentors across AHMM's teams. She is a strong advocate for the earn-while-you-learn route as a debt-free, practice-connected alternative to the traditional degree pathway.

On the Architecture Social Podcast, Emily talks through how the apprenticeship compares with the traditional university route, what makes a studio genuinely supportive, how working while studying builds confidence, and her advice for anyone weighing up the apprenticeship.

Watch or listen to the full conversation in the Architecture Social CPD: Emily Foster, Level 6 Architectural Apprentice at AHMM.